The Hour of Vespers: Flight to Egypt

Ancient prayers and legends from Celtic lands refer to
St. Brigid of Kildare as the foster-mother of Christ and
the midwife at his birth. Even for the wonderworking
Brigid, this would have been a great feat, as she was born
in the fifth century. Yet in a culture in which the bond of
fostering was often stronger than the bond of blood, this
notion reveals something of the deep esteem that
Brigid attracted. A particularly lovely legend tells that
St. Brigid, upon seeing Herod's soldiers enter the city to
slaughter the young boys, quickly fashioned a wreath of
candles. Placing it upon her head, she began to dance,
distracting the soldiers and allowing the Holy Family
to flee to safety.

From The Advent Hours
Jan Richardson © 2002

paper collage, calligraphy, and acrylic on wood
21" x 29"


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